72rd La Flèche Wallonne - HIS

Belgium, April 22, 2009

Rebellin, genius of the Huy

The gesture he made as he crossed the line for his third Flèche Wallonne title said it all: pointing to his head before pumping his fist exuberantly, Davide Rebellin demonstrated that he won not just with his legs, but by riding the smartest finale of the race.

"I knew I had to continue to finish off the great work by my team," said the 37-year-old Rebellin. "I thought I would have good feelings and I did, I won. It might just be be the best of my three wins."

The Mur de Huy's punishing 1300 metres favors those who can be patient and time their efforts to maximum effect. Silence-Lotto's Cadel Evans knows that now, after he led the field in pursuit of Frenchman David Le Lay (Agritubel) for the better part of a kilometre only to hit the wall at 200m to go. Le Lay will take note as his attack at the base of the climb was brilliantly strong, but ill-timed.

Rebellin, perfectly positioned in third behind Evans and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) bided his time as Le Lay was caught. He let Evans set a furious pace, then made his charge just as the Australian blew and easily sprinted to the victory ahead of Schleck. Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) slipped past Evans to claim third and fourth.

"I did not want to be too explosive right away, that is why at the bottom of the climb you saw Nicki Sørensen pulling," explained Schleck. "Cadel went too early and we were able to get on his wheel, at that point there was a lull in speed and I would have preferred it remained at a high speed."

Cunego found himself a bit too far back on the steepest part of the climb, but was pleased to have battled back to make the podium. "When we were at 500 metres it got really tough. Those who did not have the legs faded and those who had the legs fought. Through that tough S-turn at 300 metres, I lost a little bit of ground on Schleck and Rebellin. Amstel was a bit unlucky, but I am happy for today."

For his part, Evans was happy with his fifth place. "I didn't feel well at all today so I am quite surprised at the result," said Evans. He attacked at the côte de Bousalle with 22km to go, trying to set up his teammate Philippe Gilbert.

"Since I didn't feel well, I told the team that they shouldn't be riding for me and we would go for Gilbert today." Evans was then asked if the attack came too early and he should have saved his energy for the final climb up the Mur. "Funny, usually people tell me I don't attack..."

French-Japanese alliance

Frenchman Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) and Japanese Fumiyuki Beppu (Skil-Shimano) lit up the first part of the Flèche Wallonne. Under the drive of Moreau, the duo established a gap over the peloton at kilometre eight.

The duo's time advantage grew to 15:30 by the start of the first of three climbs of the Mur de Huy, kilometre 63.5. The peloton brought the duo to a reasonable 11:25 by the top of the second ascent of Huy, at kilometre 96.5.

Moreau, active from the start, said au revoir to Beppu, and led the race solo with 78 kilometres and eight climbs remaining. Lampre led the chase of the lone Frenchman: at 61 kilometres remaining the gap was 6:05 and 4:10 to Beppu.

Peloton arises

Chris Anker Sørensen (Saxo Bank) woke up the peloton with an attack at 43 kilometres remaining. He did not get free but he stretched out the group and opened up a series of counter-attacks.

Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre-NGC) forced clear a group of 17 at the top of the Côte de Bonneville.
The move lasted to the base of the next climb, the Côte de Bohisseau, the eighth of 11 for the day.

Moreau's move ended at the top of the Bohisseau, 162.5 kilometres after he began and 25 kilometres left to race. The next action came on the Côte de Bousalle. Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) and Alexandr Kolobnev (Saxo Bank) hit the front near the top, and José Serpa (Diquigiovanni) too over. The Columbian led the race by 15 seconds over the Caisse d'Epargne-controlled peloton with 20 kilometres and two climbs to race.

The Spanish team reeled in Serpa, and Alexandre Botcharov (Katusha) stretched out the peloton on the Côte de Ahin. Michele Scarponi (Diquigiovanni) pulled it back and held a small lead with Gasparotto and Christian Pfannberger (Katusha) at the top.

The peloton, all together, braced itself for the Mur de Huy 8.7 kilometres later. Coming into the base of the climb, Nicki Sørensen (Saxo Bank) took the lead, but Le Lay came charging past in a dangerous-looking move which earned him a five second lead. But with Evans towing an elite group in pursuit, the Frenchman stood little chance of success.

Only Schleck and Rebellin could hold the wheel of the charging Australian, and when Evans faded, Rebellin pounced to nab the victory for the third time in his career.